Don’t look now but Marian Rivera’s come out swinging at her detractors, presumably over the subject of her famous English language skills (or lack of it). I’ve always found Marian fascinating. Her face and physical stature does not match her style of speech. Perhaps this is what endears her to her fans — she physically looks sosyal but, once she opens her mouth, suddenly comes down to a level the masses can relate with. I suppose it’s sort of like how Pinoys are so fascinated with “foreigners” who speak Tagalog.
So I wonder why the sudden need to reaffirm herself now. According to Marian, how well someone speaks English is not good basis for judging a person’s intelligence.
“Sabi ko nga, ‘yon ba ang basehan ng mga tao sa pagiging matalino?” wika ni Marian sa umereng episode ng “Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho” nitong kamakalawa nang bisitahin niya ang pinagtapusang De La Salle University sa Dasmarinas, Cavite.
Marian Rivera’s looks allow her to get away with palengke English.
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I would’ve thought she owed nobody any explanations or apologies for a quirk of hers that made her famous and endeared her to her fans.
What she says is true, of course. Some of the smartest people I knew in college did not speak good English. In fact, a lot of them came from prestigious science high schools like Philippine Science and Manila Science. They were top-notch at science and math subjects and pretty much humbled us private school snobs who came out of high school thinking we were a cut above the rest. See, we pretty much dominated the social scene in college because of our private school swagger and loud and twanged English speaking. But engineering school is not kind to “social” people. It rewards the quiet achievers. And many of these achievers stayed quiet because they couldn’t speak English well. So while us “bratpackers” loudly took up space at prime campus tambayans, the non-English “underclass” on campus beavered away at libraries and second-tier hangouts.
That said, I still have a problem with the sort of message Marian is bringing across to the Filipino masses by downplaying the role of English skills. The thing is, Marian can afford to speak palengke because she is beautiful. When you are beautiful and fair-skinned in the Philippines, you can pretty much get away with anything. That, as a matter of fact, is what “Nasty” is saying in his famous tirade; that the elite-looking “but uneducated, aquiline-nosed and light-skinned ******** picked up from some gutter somewhere” could “just flash their capped-tooth smiles and policemen let them get away with traffic violations” or “bat their false eyelashes and customs officers impose no duty on their suspicious balikbayan boxes.”
But the majority of Filipinos do not look like Marian Rivera or, for that matter, her hubby DingDong Dantes. Most Filipinos are short and dark skinned. Even the most English-proficient folks of this sort have to work doubly hard to get noticed in a room of tall, fair-skinned people. So you can imagine what it would be like for short dark-skinned people who don’t speak English well. Story of Vice President Jejomar Binay’s life, right? Thing is, not everyone is as smart and politcally-savvy as the Vice President too.
All things being equal then, Filipinos who could speak English well have an edge. Only 1% of Filipinos look like Marian Rivera. So for a person who counts in the 99+ percentile of the elite in terms of looks to tell average Filipinos that not being good in English is “ok”, is borderline irresponsible, I dare say.
Not surprising then that you will see a lot of people who take perverse pride in speaking baroque English — which is why people like Erap Estrada win presidential elections. Beautiful and idolized celebs telling their fans that bad English is good give validation to a majority who were unfortunate enough not to have been raised to speak great English. It enforces an anti-intellectual attitude in Filipinos, because it stigmatizes English rather than make it a skill to aspire to master.
Inggles Inggles ka pa diyan, Tagalogin mo na lang.
That familiar admonition from Filipinos to demonize people who prefer to express themselves in English is really a symptom of that unsavory psyche of Filipinos that probably keeps them poor. Most books on science and math are written in English. Maybe there are some written in Filipino, but they are very rare. And even among those rare ones, most of them will probably just be translations from original English texts.
As far as I’ve also observed, in the corporate world, people who could speak and write English well are also looked upon favorably by employers. In the old days, it was even common for job ads to include warnings like “non-grads of Ateneo, La Salle, Assumption, and UP need not apply”. Sometimes they even leave out UP! Lol!
But people like Marian Rivera don’t need to speak great English to get ahead. In fact, she need not even speak.
But for the millions of average Filipinos, communication skills are important. Look no further than the armies of unseen and invisible call center and BPO workers whose only puhunan is their language faculties.
Frustrated artist doing geek for a living.
I wonder how Lucio Tan or Henry Sy speak English. Probably like Shakespeare? I doubt it but for sure they are smarter in one finger than 10,000+ English schoolteachers combined.
Or luckier than the teachers. But they depend on English speaking employees to make their business grow. And perhaps the Sy children.
This expression:
“NAKA-NOSEBLEED!”
“Spokening dollars ka na naman?”
Anti-intellectual bukambibigs of the jeje-classes 😀
or how about “Don’t English me, I’m only poverty…”
I’d say she’s wrong on that point. Skill in English denotes intelligence for language. And skill in English is our ticket to becoming world-class. Without this skill, how could have Lea Salonga have fared in Miss Saigon?
Anti-English sentiment is also hypocritical. Filipinos rail at fellow Filipinos who speak English well, but are “proud” of someone with Filipino blood who sings English songs in shows like American Idol.
“Skill in English denotes intelligence for language.”
So a guy with a harelip trying to speak English then hopping out all beet-faced is a dunce, then? In more ways than one?
(English is pun!)
Eh, biru-biruan lang. Pero sa totoo lang, iyong mga taong iisa lang ang alam na wika e limitado lang ang alam sa mundong ginagalawan natin. Pinoy man iyan o Amerikano o Tsino o kung ano pa man. If they are reasonably good in a second language or third or fourth language, they now have the chance if not the choice to tap into the intellectual reserves hidden in the language, unadulterated by the distortions of translation and interpretation.
So di matalino ang may alam sa Ingles — but he has the capacity to be more receptive on an intellectual level. Doesn’t take much brainpower to be curious about things, yeah?
I’d say, much of the literature telling us about multiple intelligence, modern views of language and such are disseminated in English. That’s one reason for holding on to that language.
Maraming kaalaman na nakasulat sa Ingles. hehe
Confused talaga mga Pinoy. One moment they are bashing people for being too pa-sosyal, and then the next they are lapping up Dingdong and Marian’s wedding. WTF?!
I don’t buy this whole argument that the Japanese don’t speak good English but are still prosperous. That’s because the Japanese themselves are able to produce innovation. They contribute to the world’s technology while Pinoys are just consumers of it. So consumers have no choice but to speak the language of producers whether these are Americans or Brits or the Japanese or Chinese — or even Koreans.
As you said, Chino, “Maraming kaalaman na nakasulat sa Ingles”. Is there anything to learn from Filipino-language books? In my entire life, I don’t think I’ve EVER read a Tagalog book that wasn’t required reading in school. Lol!
I’ll be going to dig up my books in search of valuable books in the vernacular, but off the top of my head — Sa Kuko ng Liwanag? Fifty years old, but still good.
kaya kakaunti lang kita ng Filipino writers sa sariling wika.
There are a group of very rude Marian fans bullying you below the belt and your colleague Ilda. Extremely annoying warfreak fans and the leader of that group in instagram is pseudo.writer
And skill in English is our ticket to becoming world-class. Without this skill, how could have Lea Salonga have fared in Miss Saigon?
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Nope! I’ve seen a lot of Filipinos who speaks good English and yet remain low-class.
Skills in English has nothing to do with world-class. Education and breeding is the key.
I agree!
English is the medium language used in all the world. It’s used heavily in business, economics, more especially in academics and etc. Able to Learn and speak English can open doors to more oppurtunities worldwide, e.i to apply for visascreen either for work, studies abroad or business, one must the have a satisfactory band score to of 7 and up, and it is not that easy to reach a high score in English profiency test. The test is not even about grammar or technical knowledge of textbooks, it is about conversational english. A person’s ability to write, read, comprehend and speak in english.
Kaya nga kilala sya sa masa lalo na sa mga mahihirap kasi mas naiintindihan sya..di maarte, di sosyal at hindi hipokrita. Ano ba ang magagawa ninyo kung lumaki syang totoo at masaya..Di namna niya sinabi na hindi sya nakakapagsalita or di nya naiintindihan ang english sinabi lang nya may kahinaan sa english….Get real! Parang ang laki ng problema ninyo kay marian, lol..Ang english natututunan pero ang mukha at ugali mahirap po baguhin…kaya grow up!
Speak for yourself you real life bimbo. Di maarte kamo? More like utak palengkera just like you. Huwag ka nang dumada pa dahil as long as your mindset is stuck in mediocrity, halatang inutil ka pa rin kahit nagtapos ka ng kolehiyo.
I’m currently living and working abroad. I’ve been to many places and have worked in 2 countries of Arabian Peninsula, Brazil and currently Germany. Sa mga lugar na nabanggit ko nasanay akong magsalita ng tinatawag nilang “barok” english. Pagkat hirap silang makaintindi pag aayusin mo ang pagsasalita. Though I believe that english should be acquired as a second language,para sa akin depende padin sa klase ng trabaho mo o lugar kung saan ka nagtatrabaho…Para nga akong tanga eh nagsasalita ng english kahit pa slow mo pa wala namang nakakaintindi. Lalo na mga Germans are fond of saying they don’t speak English and they couldn’t fully understand me very well when I spoke, kaya pag nag eexplain ako in english pahirapan at need ko daw talaga pag aralan ang wika nila. At ang arabs nman mas gusto nila ang french compare sa english. While Brazil, hrggrr.. So, naniniwala padin ako sa sinabi ni Marian na diskarte. Nasa pinas nman sya eh at bka mas comfortable sya sa tagalog. Pwede nman nya pag aralan ang english at nasa sa kanya kung gusto nya i enhance ang skill nya sa naturang linguwahe.
But take note, if Brazillian, Germans, or Arabs, wants to study or work abroad they will still have to take a english proficiency exam. It’s a requirement to know standard english. E.i how to write business e-mails, formal letters, write academic thesis and research, where to put comma in a sentence, how to write an article, and more. It is known that the standard english we know right now borrowed it’s words from different languages, such as latin, greek, german, french, hebrew, spanish and a little bit from this and that combined. In that sense, we all contributed to a language that now we know, english, that through this we can be united even from our differences.
she’s an actress. it’s all an act to endear her to the masses.=)
You never know, she might be a smart woman in real life, she probably had to put on this act in order to relate to the Philippine masses.
My name is not Pallacertus and I agree with the gist of this article.
Thing is, learning English has relevance beyond just looking for a job in the BPO industry or the like or abroad — vast reserves of great intellectual value lie locked within the English language. Whether or not someone who has to learn it wants to tap into said reserves and thereby enrich his perspective is his decision to make, pero kung ayaw nila e huwag nilang ipasa ang ayaw nila sa iba. Baka kasi may makuhang makabuluhan para sa kanila.
I’m on the same page with the writer on the general idea of the article. I just missed the ‘diskarte’ part of the story.
Anyway, it would be boring just to agree and not share some ideas to liven up the discussion. So here goes.
I think speaking in English is not a matter that you can categorize as a serious problem in the country like the perennial gov’t corruption does. We all know that we’re better off in that category than other countries if we’re going to base on the demand for Filipino workers abroad based on our skills to communicate in English.
For sure, Filipinos won’t be able to escape English. For one, it’s the medium of instruction in our educational system. Only an illiterate will have trouble going beyond simple terms such as good mornings, hellos, sir’s, ma’m’s, etc. Secondly, English is all around us. Audio and video. Even illiterates often gets to pick up one or two words that equip and familiarize them with the language how Carabao it may be.
With regard to Rivera’s opinion, people understand. They will listen and some or most, the fans, that is, will agree and be content with their idols thinking. But at the end of the day, they know they have to confront English. To learn to embrace it and be proficient about it.
Chinese, Koreans and Japanese are known to be nationalists and do not speak the English language well and their economies are thriving. Europeans and Americans are considered classy and first-world, but guess what is happening to their educational system and economy right now.. read the papers from time to time. So yea I agree with Mrs. Marian Dantes.
Actually, Koreans can speak English well, it’s the Japanese who has broken English. Why is their economy better than the Philippines?
Filipinos brag about being good in English but their grammar is, for the most part, wrong.
@Jane Doe WRONG. I teach English to Koreans and their grammar is ATROCIOUS.
Grammar does not matter that anyway in conversational english, it can only benefit if one is into english studies, or english major courses, writing or journalism courses.
Japanese as a whole are disciplined people. That is how they compensated their lack of english skills, but notice they are willing to learn english, hence the online tutorial companies growing here in the Philippines.
Koreans can actually speak English well, it’s the Japanese who has broken English. Why is their economy doing better than the Philippines?
Not fair to compare Japan or Korea to US or Western Europe because of the diversity of the population. The US has a lot of immigrants and most of these immigrants are poor. Also, most innovations still start in the west. It’s not only being good in school. Now they found out that creativity and ability to express you thoughts and ideas are more important. Proficiency in English language is still important as it is the language of business and science.
“The ability to speak English is not a measure of your knowledge, breeding, values, character, self-worth and intellect”. I cannot understand why these bunch of hypocrites and pretentious Filipinos are so obsessed with people who can speak “senseless English”, especially those with the “twang” and look down upon those who are not good with the language; worse, they laugh at these people and mock them, as if they themselves have a perfect command of the language. After living in a country, which developed very rapidly despite the difficulty of the people to speak English, or even to pronounce and enunciate L, R and Th, I come to realise that we don’t need to speak the language fluently and impeccably for as long as we understand the thought and for as long as we can express our own thoughts. Filipinos have bragged about their English Language ability BUT NO ONE has yet, ever got a perfect score in TOEFL-IBT. The Chinese and Taiwanese who, sometimes cannot even pronounce “three” correctly, have been in record of having a PERFECT score in TOEFL, TOEIC AND IELTS. So, sa mga Pinoy na mayayabang diyan, please lang: bago niyo pulaan ang ibang tao dahil sa hindi sila magaling mag-English, alamin niyo muna kung ano ang pagkakaiba ng gamit ng “ng” at “nang” at “kung” at “kong” and “your” and “you’re”…. mga TIKALON nga mga linti!!!!
I can attest to the fact that when you speak English like a private school grad or like a native American or British speaker, you get more attention and respect in the Philippines. Not logical maybe, but that’s the BALD reality. Good English is an effective tool for intimidation in the Philippines. As most Pinoys, by their own admission, get a “nosebleed” when you speak to them in straight English they will likely stand down from a confrontation with a proficient English speaker.
So, yeah, even if you talk crap, if you deliver that crap in the Queen’s English, you STILL win in the Philippines — because most Pinoys will be too scared shitless of you to pause to understand the SUBSTANCE of what you are saying.
Pinoys are easy to intimidate. Just watch your back though. Coz Filipinos shoot or stab people in the back when they lose face. 😀
I can attest to the fact that when you speak English like a private school grad or like a native American or British speaker, you get more attention and respect in the Philippines.
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Is getting more attention and respect bad? I mean, we look at educated people in a different light. Call it respect or awe but we are enamored by people who we think are intelligent and articulate. Why? Because of the importance of education. That is what was inculcated in our minds growing up.
Good English is an effective tool for intimidation in the Philippines.
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Naman. What did the Filipinos do to deserve such contempt that even in an instance when they show respect and awe to others they are still criticized for it? English an effective tool for intimidation in the Philippines? A language, English at that, the universal language a tool of intimidation? Really? If I’ll follow the logic of that assumption, other countries with lower system of education would be in a worse place than us because English there kills. English is a tool for genocide or murder or massacre there. I mean, I don’t get it.
As most Pinoys, by their own admission, get a “nosebleed” when you speak to them in straight English they will likely stand down from a confrontation with a proficient English speaker.
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The ‘nosebleed’ joke is an evolution of the ‘Tagalugin mo na lang Pinoy ka naman’ joke. It’s a joke. When you speak in straight English to a person having lesser education than you, of course, that person will be put in a defensive. The playing field is not fair. And educated people, the decent and intelligent ones, don’t just speak in English in random style. You don’t speak straight English if you are talking to a Taho vendor. Never seen any Pinoy delivered straight English to a jeepney driver for direction.
So, yeah, even if you talk crap, if you deliver that crap in the Queen’s English, you STILL win in the Philippines — because most Pinoys will be too scared shitless of you to pause to understand the SUBSTANCE of what you are saying.
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Why will Pinoy be scared of someone who speaks in English to them? That’s another fallacy. In the Phil., you can talk to anybody in English because practically everybody can speaks it even though not everybody can fluently do it.
Just watch your back though. Coz Filipinos shoot or stab people in the back when they lose face.
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From English to backstabbing? I don’t get it. In my opinion, this post ruins everything the article introduced as a piece of discussion. It was harsh, rough and was simply vicious.
Sad to say na pinagtatawanan ng mga Filipinos ang kapwa nila kapag wrong grammar. Heck even they make fun in other country’s english accents.
“I am Psychology.” – Marian Rivera.
mga Pilipino nga naman. Mahilig mangcriticize ng kapwa Pilipino.
You know, I hate that word “diskarte”, it always seems to imply that you are getting away with something wrong or law breaking. Or that you have to step on someone’s foot to get ahead. To me it means, cheating in exams, ‘landian’ to get your way, beating red lights, illegal U-turns, speeding, cutting lines, stealing, “mangang(c)arolling” (i saw this in an episode of investigative documentaries some streetkids trying to “diskarte” a few coins), not giving of exact change by public utility drivers. The list of “diskarte” goes on and on.
And thats the reason why the justice system in the Philippines is so f*cked up. Lawyers, judges and court employees just trying to be “diskarte”. None of them really tries to use the law to bolster a legal argument, rather they try to strong-arm or out bribe the other side or use the “palakasan” system. I understand that in other branches of government the same thing is happening. I’m also sure that people from other fields would attest that it is not the employee who is fit to the the job who gets the job but the one who is “malakas”.
What we are seeing is a society that is not genuinely trying to improve their skills and intellect–what we are seeing is a society taking shortccuts by means of “diskarte”.
And its not just the Filipino’s command of English that is suffering under the onslaught of “diskarte”, our command of our National Language Filipino suffers as well, which is why we are bombarded by basilects such as beki and jejemon, all are seemingly a manifestation of “diskarte” borne by the need of either pasikat or the need to not be understood by speakers of the standard language. It truly is sad that our command of the National Language and our dialects/languages are slowly disappearing.
Filipinos should learn English and learn Filipino properly. Those fully bilingual in both should translate a book or two or an article of GRP (and I’ve seen a few Filipino works there). But most of all, people should read whatever gets translated.
Hate the word “diskarte”? Kung hindi ba naman dumiskarte ung tatay mu sa nanay mu, e papanganak kaba dito sa mundo? Kung hindi didiskarte yung mga bata na yan sa kalye meron ba silang makakain sa pang araw2 nila? kasalanan ba nila na pinanganak silang mahirap? kaya kailangan nilang dumiskarte, kasi tayung mga tao is meron tayong tinatawag na Mental Discrimination na example pag sa binyag my bisita kang mahirap pag marami ung kinuha sa lamesa kasi gutom, napapa isip na parang nakaka hiya yang mahirap na taong yan, pero pag mayaman yung bisita at maraming kinain na galing sa lamesa natutuwa ka kasi mayaman, bibigyam mu pa nang magandang plato at accomodation. Maganda estado mu siguru sa buhay? hindi mu naranasan maging mahirap, kaya sa pinost mu parang wala kang alam, pero pag galing ka sa hirap wag mu ko sabihan ni hindi mu naranasang dumiskarte para maabot ang buhay na ganyan. Merond Diskarte na mabuti at masama, huwag mung ilahat. Nagkasakit, Baliw, bobo at namamatay ang hindi MABUTING dumiskarte. So hate mo ang diskarte?? pasensya na brad, yumaman si henry sy at hindi yan swerte, dahil umaksyon siyang my deskarte! mag empleyado ka na lang habang buhay kasi walang diskarte, tingnan natin kung hindi ka mag sisisi after nang retirement mo. Ikaw lang makaka alam niyan huwag mu nang replyan to closed na to! pagsisisi aabutin mu sa pag hindi sa diskarte! 😀
Marian can say what she did because she doesn’t work in a call center. Kawawa naman mga nag ca-call center if they apply what she said to themselves.
Also (with a little repost), I don’t mind people being a bit bad in language if they can get their message across, like this one:
‘we filipinos are so hypocrete. we live on lies and half truth.
when I was a kid (am now 40 [years old]) our elders never give us straight answer. one day while playing to my female friend, we were both taking a bath (nude and I was 5 [years old]) I shout “ay pepe” [and] my aunt scolded me for saying bad words.
another was, when I ask my aunt again how did I come out in this world. and without hesitation she said “galing ka sa puwet”.
there’s alot more lies and half truth i learn from my elders, when we went to US at my age of 10 [years old], I was so surprised how ordinary folks explain everything as if am talking to them as the same age as mine. up to now am still wandering why we filipinos doesnt treat kids as intellectual and the future of our country, in the philippines, youth are deprive of ideas what is better for them. look who’s the one talking and explaining everything on tv,radios or in press con. FVR 78 [years old], DOJ Gonzales 78 [years old], Ex Gen Abat 80 [years old], Sec Ermita and other’s who as if t[h]ey will still live by hundred years and cannot accept that their ideas are already “kalawang”. please you oldies, give the youth what is best for the country and for them.
now I know if only I was around when Pres Quezon said “I would rather see the Philippines [run] like hell by filipinos than run like heaven by the americans”, I will be the one to say you dont know what youre saying. suppose we held a referendum and ask every filipinos if they want the Philippines to be part of USA as one of his member in State? [I] am sure it will get a landslide vote of yes. yes to be a member of United State of America.
but hypocrete will say, that’s traitor, that’s treason and maybe that [is] destabilazation.
thank you and hope that we filipinos one day wake up, there’s no hope with our politicians.
“evil to triumph in the Philippines, let all good filipino men and women do nothing and let our politician`s do their thing”‘
The Medium is the Massage!
The purpose of any language as a tool of communication is best used to express and not to impress! Just as those visiting foreigners struggling to communicate with their broken Filipino as a gesture of amity and respect!
Is Kate Natividad angry, confused, frustrated or just plain mayabang and more palengkera than Marian Rivera?!
Kate in her own words:
“…I still have a problem with the sort of message Marian is bringing across to the Filipino masses by downplaying the role of English skills. The thing is, Marian can afford to speak palengke because she is beautiful.”
“…people like Marian Rivera don’t need to speak great English to get ahead. In fact, she need not even speak.”
“Confused talaga mga Pinoy. One moment they are bashing people for being too pa-sosyal, and then the next they are lapping up Dingdong and Marian’s wedding. WTF?!”
Good English is an effective tool for intimidation!!!
“Good English is an effective tool for intimidation in the Philippines. As most Pinoys, by their own admission, get a “nosebleed” when you speak to them in straight English they will likely stand down from a confrontation with a proficient English speaker.”
“So, yeah, even if you talk crap, if you deliver that crap in the Queen’s English, you STILL win in the Philippines — because most Pinoys will be too scared shitless of you to pause to understand the SUBSTANCE of what you are saying.”
“Pinoys are easy to intimidate.”
Kate’s idol exemplifies this very well:
In 2013, Anne Curtis was reportedly involved in an embarrassing confrontation with John Lloyd Cruz (where she slapped the actor and called him an addict) and others at a bar in The Fort, Taguig.
In that incident the report said “Anne screamed, with finger pointing at Phoem Barranda, saying, ‘I can buy you, your friends, and this club!’”
Kate (in Good English!!!): “See, we pretty much dominated the social scene in college because of our private school swagger and loud and twanged English speaking.”
Marian (in non-English “underclass”, “palengke” Filipino???): “Sabi ko nga, ‘yon ba ang basehan ng mga tao sa pagiging matalino?”
Is English superior to Filipino or does Kate just harbours Anti-Filipino/Anti-Cultural sentiments?!
“Is there anything to learn from Filipino-language books? In my entire life, I don’t think I’ve EVER read a Tagalog book that wasn’t required reading in school. Lol!”
“It enforces an anti-intellectual attitude in Filipinos, because it stigmatizes English rather than make it a skill to aspire to master.”
Jose Rizal’s native tongue was Tagalog, his early education was all in Spanish! And yet he did not consider it as inferior! Rizal could write and read at age two and grew up to speak 22 languages including Latin, Spanish, Catalan, German, French, English, Chinese and Japanese. Clearly more than that of the proud and “loud and twanged English speaking” Miss Kate Natividad!
Ang hindì marunong magmahal sa sariling wikà, masahol pa sa hayop at malansang isdâ!
Now, That is a myth! Dr. Jose Rizal’s native language was not tagalog though he knows a little bit, nor did he wrote the poem “Ang hindì marunong magmahal sa sariling wikà, masahol pa sa hayop at malansang isdâ!” Please go search it in the internet. He even said to his brother-in-law in his later life he almost forgot how to speak tagalog laguange, for the obvious reason that he’s always out of the country. Noli me tangere and el filibusterismo is not even tagalog itself.
There is a point here. I grew up during the Martial Law era when “free TV” would air programmes from the US and the UK in the English language. Upon reaching high school, it was imperative that I had to brush up on my Filipino skills, so I watched old Sampaguita/LVN movies as well as John & Marsha to catch up.
I had no regrets speaking and expressing myself in English owing to my early exposure; this had led me to a flourishing career in the BPO industry. What I am concerned though about are current generations’ ability to pick up and learn the language. Right now, a number of cable channels are already airing Hollywood movies dubbed in Tagalog…and to think we used to boast of access to cable as a factor in English proficiency
First of all, she didn’t have to explain nor offer any apologies for not speaking in english. Yon ang tinanong sa kanya eh di yon ang sinasagot niya. Bakit hindi si jessica soho ang topic mo? She was the one who asked that question. Totoo naman yong sinabi ni marian. It’s not fair na pag hindi ka nag-e-english, hindi ka na matalino. Start talking to me, you can speak english and i’ll speak tagalog. But you can’t claim na mas matalino ka sa kin. I just like to speak in tagalog. Period. End of story. Hindi sa pagsasalita ng english nakikita ang diskarte ng tao. And she is only speaking for herself. What made you think she speaks for the whole world? Let me ask you this? Have you ever been to other english speaking country? Maraming mga americans na highschool graduates lang. They speak good englsih coz it’s their primary language but they don’t know how to spell. How about the non-english speaking countries? Ang mga japanese, they don’t speak english but they are making nuclear bombs. Bakit ang mga pinoy, ang daming english speaking (isa ka na dun, you hypocrite) pero bakit mahirap pa rin naman ang bansa natin? Only in the philippines, na pag english speaking ka, elite ka. Hindi rin! You haven’t met me yet. You can’t impress me with your english twang. Sabi ni marian, english speaking ka nga, mas marami naman daw siyang pera sa iyo. Sino ngayon ang matalino? She will just hire you daw to translate her words in english. She’ll put you in her payroll. So who’s more successful? Lol. Makes perfectly sense if you ask me. Paano na yong mga magaling dumiskarte pero hindi marunong mag-english? Yong yaya ko, she didnt finish highschool but she is a people person, madiskarte siya. She put up a grocery store, and because she is friendly, maraming bumibili sa tindahan niya. Ngayon mas mayaman na siya sa akin. She can hire me now to be her english interpreter. Huwag masyadong mapangmata sa mga taong hindi mahilig mag-english. It’s a matter of preference you know. What makes one become successful is if he loves the Lord, loves his family and friends, have a kind heart and works hard. That is all you need to be successfull. After all, lahat naman ng yan galing kay Lord. Kahit english ka pa ng english kung masama naman ang ugali mo, you will never ever be successful, no matter how hard you try…..it all comes from the Lord. Having said that, i think i kind of agree with marian.
@Staycool I sense the butthurt 🙂
“Is diskarte more important than good english as Marian Rivera says?”
Just one question, Ms. Natividad:
How do you define a ‘good english’?
The normal answer to your question is that you will know good English when you hear/read it.
The longer answer:
(1) There are standardized tests to measure English proficiency.
(2) Some mechanics can be objectively evaluated: sentence structure, spelling, etc.
(3) Nuance and depth of comprehension can ascertained by asking the right questions.
Of course there is something to be said about people who need to ask the question “How do you define ‘good English’?” :p
I just noticed that kate natividad keeps on pointing out that those who studied from private schools are far better than those who were from public schools.
Honestly, people like kate are really a pain in the ass…bragging that they came from private schools,that they are a lot better than others when it comes to english speaking.
Let others recognize/appreciate your fluency in english. You don’t have to boast it. ***C*
hahahaha you got it there. Well, I read her posts here in the comment section and I still can’t figure out kung ano ang pinaglalaban niya. It seems like sobrang pro-english siya, sabi niya pa nga hindi siya nagbabasa ng tagalog book kung hindi naman school related. Hmm… Ate try mo rin magbasa 🙂 Hindi lang english ang language na kailangang aralin. Maraming nagkakamali sa tamang “nang” “ng” “din” “rin” at marami pang iba. 🙂 Malaking advantage ang pagsasalit ng english, pero why mock someone who doesn’t speak straight fluent english guys? Too naïve?
No matter what your profession is, communication skills are important. That is why I couldn’t be happier when I stumbled upon your blog.
Cheers!
kung english ang basehan bakit ang dami kong kilalang call center agents na tadtad ng utang sakin at kung ano anong gamit ang sinasangla. Masasabi ko na mas mayaman ako kesa sakanila pero hindi ako marunong mag english hahaha
The irony of it all is Marian was a la Salle grad. WTF?!? All the la salle alums I know can speak English fluently – even the dumb fucks. Granted that fluency in the English language doesn’t have anything to do with your intelligence but if the dumbest la salle grad, or student, can speak English fluently, what does that say about Marian?
So many Filipinos prefer beauty over brains.. and Marian’s case is the perfect example
Ms Natividad, you are so right Marian doesn’t speak english but she is more successful and richer than you are…
hahaha natumbok mo! ang tawag dyan kay kate inggit! if you are concern sa kapwa mo you will give constructive feedback and will not underestimate anyone dahil hindi sya makapagsalita ng maayos na english! attitude is everything, i guess yan ang kulang sayo kate!
EDIT
“Tama”, “Right”, “Insakto” – I don’t like how this Kate Natividad writes and expresses her contempt towards our Pilipino bretheren who can’t speak English well, maangas parang kung sinong matalino. Speaking/Writing/Comprehending in good straight English is NOT the only measure of intelligence. It just says you know how to speak/understand the language. So, if for example Albert Einstein does not know how to speak/understand Tagalog, Chavacano or Bisaya fluently, will I say he is stupid or unintelligent? NO, we already know he is a genius. Also not all English speaking Pilipinos are intelligent (as can be observed from you) So miss Kate i think you need to have some self-reflection to do. Think and do some meditation. Your contempt towards pinoys who do not speak the English language well is appalling. I dare say your a bad apple in a box full.
In real life, people who are “madiskarte” are the ones who are successful. But as someone has mentioned in the previous posts being madiskarte can be used in both good and evil. I would say that being “madiskarte” as being full of wisdom – knowledge being applied correctly. btw – I’m not a Marian fan, i just don’t like your narrow-mindedness.
1. “Diskarte” in it’s own sense is an attitude geared towards getting away from the system or basics to accomplish what needs to be at the moment with complete disregard on the future impact or result. Typical of lots of pinoys/pinays today, they brag about multi-tasking with impunity but leaves countless ill advised result for the next person to fix. And then the cycle continues again, hence, it constantly needs fixing.
2. Learning how to speak another language or English for that matter opens up vast opportunities for ones self. There are lots of those here in the US, Canada and Europe. Most originated from provinces but assimilated (Language for communicating) to access opportunities that they recognize and accepted. Most assume knowing how to speak “English” denotes your status/standing in society. Fact is, it only helps you learn more thru English written books. Accessibility thru books compensates for or eliminates ignorance.
3. Pinoys/pinays are very assumptive. Looks or skin color is always the parameters used for designating status. Like what the author sez “Pag buka ng bibig”, then you know the class.
Excellent article. English is the lifeblood for those anti-thesis of Marian or Dingdong. The 99.+% is banking on their English proficiency to earn a good living in this country.
To hell with Marian! I don’t give a damn about her. Kung di ka proficient sa English di ka maka pag turo ng English dito sa Korea at Japan. Laban ka Marian sa diskarte naming maging proficient sa English. Maputi ka lang kasi nalahi-an ka, pero palengkera ang utak mo.
Diskarte applies to many but not to all. Hindi lang sya mdiskarte, maganda at sexy din sya kaya nde Lang diskarte nakatulong s kanya. It’s better if she encourage fans to study well coz not everyone is lucky as her. But I’ve noticed she don’t have movie that after 20 or 30 years will be recognized as a great movie, but she will be remember as one of the sexiest in fairness.
“Look no further than the armies of unseen and invisible call center and BPO workers whose only puhunan is their language faculties.”
People who eke out a living as call centre agents, ironically, suck big time when it comes to the English language. I should know.
These days, yes. But the pioneers of it were exceptional speakers/writers of the language.
True that. Nowadays, the BPO recruit people not because of their ‘mad English-speaking skillz’ (quality), but more like how many they can boast and paint on their ad banners (quantity).
Of course sa Pinas “Diskarte” is a necessity for survival unless people wants global connection, then english becomes a necessity.